


Spirit Bound

by Avalain_Nightshade



Category: Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
Genre: Family Loss, Friendship, Gen, Revenge, Spirits, The Four Heroes - Freeform, one thousand years ago
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:48:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28402746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avalain_Nightshade/pseuds/Avalain_Nightshade
Summary: One thousand years ago, Five Heroes stood against the Shadow Queen of the Hallowed City. They saved the world; but only just... and even then, they knew the demon would one day return to wreak her vengeance upon the world. To stop this, one of the heroes- Elodie Lancaster- bound her very soul to the Magical Map, in the hope of one day guiding a hero to find the Crystal Stars and finish what they started.[This is a story that meshes the tale of the Four Heroes with Mario's journey as he collects the Crystal Stars to defeat the Shadow Queen. It largely focuses on the past, one thousand years ago, although the present also holds answers for Elodie, whose spirit- like the Shadow Queen's- is still very much alive.]
Relationships: Mario & Original Female Character, The Shadow Queen & Original Female Character
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	1. -The Dividing of the Crystal Stars-

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone, and welcome to my story. Before you begin, I just want to add quickly that I have made everyone more humanoid: for example, Goombella is more-so a young woman than a Goomba, Koops is a young man instead of a Koopa, etc.
> 
> I also quickly want to draw connections between the Five Heroes (all of whom are humans as well):
> 
> The Brave Toad = Arthur  
> The Wise Goomba = Ingrid  
> The Boo Heroine = Serene  
> The Stalwart Koopa = Matthias  
> OC = Elodie Lancaster
> 
> Just a quick clarification before we start. Thanks for reading! Have a great day :)

* * *

_-One Thousand Years Ago-_

_"What shall we do with them?"_

_No one had an answer. Placed neatly around the round table were the seven Crystal Stars that Ingrid had so ingeniously plotted to take from the demon. It was very fortunate that when the demon had created them, she had failed to provide them with any sense of allegiance. The power of the Crystal Stars was completely at the hand of their wielder._

_Elodie looked around the grand foyer to her friends. Ingrid was scowling quizzically at them, searching for a solution. Matthias had a hand to his chin, but his green eyes were glazed over. Serene's hair covered her face—Elodie could not see her expression. And Arthur… Arthur was gazing at Elodie, attempting once again to see if she was well._

_Finally, the tension made way to a suggestion._

_"Perhaps it might be best to destroy them."_

_It was Serene who had spoken, her raven hair still draped gloomily over her face. She had not yet recovered from the battle that had taken place a few days past; Matthias seemed to notice and gently placed a hand upon her shoulder._

_"We cannot," answered Elodie, as much as it pained her to debate their only idea thus far. "There is always the possibility that my… that the demon shall return. The seal we placed upon the labyrinth is only guaranteed to last for a thousand years. Once those pass, what happens then? Do we secure our own safety at the cost of our descendants by destroying the Crystal Stars?"_

_"No indeed," answered Matthias, though that seemed all he could input._

_"I concur," Ingrid added, her curly hair the color of fire in the light of the pane-glass window. "The Crystal Stars must remain—as should the power they possess."_

_Arthur and Serene, however, both appeared troubled. They seemed to share expressions with words, the way close siblings might do. Elodie observed their reluctance and hesitation to agree—Arthur's sky-blue eyes were filled with doubt, as were Serene's._

_It was Arthur to say what both seemed to be thinking._

_"We have no guarantee that the demon shall return. What if the Crystal Stars were put to nefarious uses by others?"_

_"Then we must hide them," boomed Matthias, his deep voice echoing around the chamber. Elodie nearly jumped in surprise at his sudden enthusiasm. She glanced at him sideways to see a spark in his eyes—the same spark that occupied his gaze whenever he spoke of an adventure. "I volunteer to take these Crystal Stars across the world, in the deepest and most remote corners, so that they might remain hidden from evil."_

_Ingrid smiled, though it was sly. "All of them?" she mused. "While I agree with your idea, I do not think it wise to allow one person to take charge of them all. However much I trust you, Matthias," she added quickly, seeing the shocked look on his face, "I do not trust the others of this world."_

_Matthias appeared as if he wanted to argue, but before he could, Serene's fair voice rang out. "I still say we should destroy them. Many ill fates could befall us if we fail to hide the Crystal Stars, and hide them well."_

_"Even more disastrous would it be if the demon returns, and there are no Crystal Stars for a hero to fight it with," snapped Elodie. Her patience was wearing thin with Serene—their bond had never been strong, despite Arthur's pleads for her to at least attempt to become friends with the woman. "I_ _**know** _ _that the demon shall return, Serene. I know this as none of the rest of you can. If she wants to return, she_ _**will,** _ _and with a vengeance unlike the world has ever beheld."_

_Elodie was met with startled silence from her friends—but she unrelentingly glared at Serene, knowing that if anyone was to continue contradicting her, it would be the sorceress. The room was full of tension, and it did not dissipate until Matthias spoke again, this time considerably softer._

_"Perhaps we should take a vote."_

_Four pairs of eyes snapped to Matthias, who shrugged, his dirty-blond hair falling over his forehead. Almost subconsciously, he placed a hand on the hilt of his garnet-encrusted sword._

_"I think that's a fair suggestion," remarked Elodie. She knew that Matthias, at least, would agree with her—now it was only a matter of winning over Ingrid and Arthur._

_Matthias smiled and seemed to relax. He then looked over the group, cleared his throat, and said, "Then who wishes to destroy the Crystal Stars?"_

_As expected, Serene raised her hand. Elodie stole a glance at Arthur to see that he was leaning forward, deep in thought. Ingrid, however, seemed confident with herself as she kept her hand by her side._

_"And to hide them?"_

_Elodie, Matthias, and Ingrid all voted for the second option. Arthur was still undecided, and everyone noticed._

_"Arthur?" said Ingrid, her brown eyes shining. "We await your vote."_

_Arthur sighed, his hands clasped together in front of his mouth. "Either way I vote, we still have a majority," he declared, keeping his eyes firmly on the table. "It does not matter."_

_"It matters to us," retorted Elodie, rising from her seat around the table and moving to stand behind him. "We would appreciate your input, whatever it might be."_

_He sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair. "That is the problem, Elodie. I do not know which option is better. On the one hand, we risk the demon awaking earlier than anticipated and her seizing the Crystal Stars again. On the other, we gamble the fate of the world in a thousand years, when she_ _**does** _ _return. Neither of our options sound appealing."_

_A bell-like laugh rang throughout the room; following it, Ingrid exclaimed, "What did you expect, Arthur? A miracle? There are no such things… perhaps there are to those who dream and call us heroes, but to us, the proclaimed heroes? No. History is bound to repeat itself, my friend, one way or another. Now what is your vote?"_

_Arthur's sky-blue eyes dimmed, and he placed a hand to his forehead. Elodie was saddened to see him so burdened—she knew that his goal had been to provide the world a peace that would last for eternity._

_Ingrid seemed to notice the blow she had dealt to Arthur with her words. Softly, she added, "Arthur, keep in mind that your children shall be safe. Rosalina and Tobias are in no danger."_

_A spark ran through Arthur's eyes—Elodie knew what that spark meant and she began to back away—but suddenly, there was an exclamation of, "Oomph!" and a shrill squeal._

_Elodie whirled around to see Rosalina entangled in one of the tapestries behind the round table, nearly ripping it from its hinges upon the wall. With an exclamation of shock, Elodie rushed forward and removed the cloth from ensnaring her daughter's legs._

_"Rosalina!" she chided. "How long have you been hiding back there?"_

_"Long enough!" chirped the girl, a look of worry that was much too old for her plastered across her face. She stared directly at Arthur and pouted, "Daddy, you can't destroy the shiny stars! They're too pretty!"_

_Despite the severity of the situation, Elodie couldn't help but laugh. Of course her child would immediately think of the loss of something pretty or shiny._

_Before Arthur could respond, however, there was a young cry from Elodie's feet. With a gasp, she realized that Tobias had been perched with Rosalina as well—Elodie bent and picked him up from the cold stone floor, halfway amused and halfway irritated that her children had been eavesdropping. At seven and two years old, they were much too young to listen to severe topics like the potential end of the world._

_"Why, Rosalina, must you always drag your brother in tow?" she inquired, trying not to roll her eyes._

_"I didn't," exclaimed her daughter, her sky-blue eyes wide. "Tobias was curious. He_ _**wanted** _ _to come…"_

_Behind Elodie was a chuckle, and then Arthur said, "Mm-hm. I'm quite sure he did." He picked up Rosalina and sat her on his shoulders, even though she was beginning to grow too big for that._

_After Rosalina was safely situated, Arthur exhaled slowly and turned back to the table, where their battle plans had been placed months ago: where their notes and the Crystal Stars and the journal of the demon lay now._

_A flash of determination ran through his eyes… but this time, it stayed there. Turning back to the others, Arthur declared, "I vote to hide the Crystal Stars."_

_There was a brief silence as everyone digested his words._

_And then Serene sighed and said, "So be it. The majority speaks… we shall hide the Crystal Stars. Matthias, you know the world better than any of us here. I believe it should fall to you to establish where to place them."_

_"No disagreement there," exclaimed Arthur, a characteristic grin displayed on his face. Elodie could not help but smile herself seeing it. "But first, perhaps we should establish who takes which Crystal Star."_

_Ingrid nodded. "That would be wise," she mused, voice warm as caramel. "Two of us shall have to take charge of two Crystal Stars."_

_"I'll take two," Matthias volunteered immediately, a childlike excitement in his eyes. Besides Serene, there was nothing he loved more than traveling or an adventure. "I can take the Sapphire Star and the Gold Star."_

_Serene was the one to speak next. "I can visit Twilight Town and hide a Crystal Star deep in the Dim Wood. Hardly anyone dares venture to the forest there. My people also dwell in the steeple; they shall not harm me."_

_Arthur set Rosalina down—but as soon as he did, the girl cried, "Daddy, daddy, can we keep one?"_

_At this request, everyone laughed. Arthur's shoulders were shaking with mirth as he was pulled by Rosalina to where the Crystal Stars sat. "All right, Rosa," he laughed, light wrinkles encircling his eyes. "Which one is your favorite?"_

_Immediately, the girl pointed at the Diamond Star; the first Crystal Star that had been created._

_"That one!" she exclaimed proudly. "It looks like Mama's eyes!"_

_Elodie started, surprised by the comparison. But when Rosalina looked up at her with a careless toothy smile, Elodie saw the child's genuine excitement, and her shock morphed into affection._

_"Very well, then!" exclaimed Arthur, grandiosely waving his arm. "The Diamond Star shall be here in the castle, specifically for you."_

_Jovially, Matthias sauntered over to the table. He glanced around the room and said, "Ingrid, you can take the Emerald Star. Where shall it be hidden?"_

_"In the Great Tree," she answered immediately. "The small people, the Punies, will watch over it for centuries. Of this I am sure. I shall also take charge of the Crystal Star, if it is allowed of me."_

_Matthias grinned. "Elodie, will you take charge of the Garnet Star, then?"_

_Elodie nodded. "I shall… the Garnet Star shall be placed in Poshley Sanctum. The warriors that are positioned there are renowned and honorable. But Ingrid, I believe it would be best if the Crystal Star remains within the buried city. We should keep it close to the Door in case a hero should attempt to defeat the demon."_

_Ingrid and Serene both nodded, small smiles upon their faces. Elodie glanced at Matthias and Arthur to see that they appeared to agree as well—it was Ingrid who questioned, "When should we begin to distribute them?"_

_"As soon as possible," replied Matthias. "I vote next week, after we recover and heal."_

_Arthur ran a hand through his hair. "So it shall be. One week from now, we depart."_

_That was all Elodie needed to hear. She smiled to herself, glad that she and her friends would be standing behind the eventual hero that would need to fight the darkness just as they themselves had done._


	2. -Sometime in Someplace-

* * *

Elodie was dreaming. Or at least, she had been.

But now she was conscious for the first time in… She did not even know how many years had passed. She just knew that she was awake. Not alive, but awake.

She glanced around. She knew she was invisible to the eyes of those who surrounded her… People meandered about their daily lives, oblivious to the danger that slept directly underneath them. Elodie desperately scrutinized each one to determine if perhaps her hero was among them—the world would need this hero to fight the darkness that would soon emerge.

After a moment of tireless searching, Elodie was forced to realize that none of the people stood out… none of them looked like a true hero.

That meant the seal was breaking.

And if the seal was breaking, the world would soon fall to shadow.

With a despairing exhale, Elodie took in her surroundings. She was floating next to the rooftops of some of the low buildings. Her spirit form allowed her to hover in midair as she took in the scene…

This was the place she used to live, the place she grew up in: and yet, it was entirely different.

Where her family's castle once proudly stood sat a dingy little town filled with dirty, desperate people. The streets were of poor cobble; the cloth the citizens wore was even poorer than that of the destitute a thousand years ago. The sounds of the city were the same, at least… but the people were incredibly different.

Her town, her city, had always prioritized helping the less fortunate. But now, even as Elodie watched, one of the better-dressed men pickpocketed a poor woman's coins. It was obvious the loss would be devastating to her and her family.

Elodie's heart broke to see what squalor had replaced her once beautiful home. This was not what she had anticipated to find upon her awakening when she bound her soul to the Map.

Then again, her heart had broken when her home was destroyed by evil in the first place.

As Elodie was scanning the crowd, a startling blotch of pink caught her eye. The bright color drew her attention; she smiled upon seeing a young woman opening what was once Elodie's jewelry box. The woman's dress was the pale pink color, and her hair the color of marigolds. What really struck Elodie, however, was the woman's eyes.

They were almost the exact color of Arthur's.

Elodie floated closer to the woman, hoping against hope that this was the soul spoken of: the one pure of heart, that would be able to access the Map.

And true to her silent prayers, this woman was the one. She opened the tiny box and pulled out the folded Map from within—the very Map that Elodie had crafted, had painted, had enchanted… had bound her soul to.

"My heroine," murmured Elodie, her silver eyes regaining spirit. She felt relieved knowing that there was a hero—or heroine—after all, especially if as much time had passed as she feared.

But then, after a few moments of inspecting the yellowed parchment, the woman did something Elodie did not expect.

She gasped and rushed off towards a building close by. Elodie followed her, confused as to the woman's intent.

That intent became painfully obvious when the woman rushed to the post service, wrote a swift letter, stuffed the Map in an envelope, and sent it off, without so much as a word.

"No!" cried Elodie, extending a translucent hand toward the envelope. Her eyes narrowed, and she glared with betrayal at the woman. "You fool!" she exclaimed. "How could you send it off like that?"

The woman seemed to hear her, because she whirled around and gasped, "Who is there?"

Elodie exhaled slowly, knowing that she would not be able to reclaim the Map herself. All she could do now was determine where this woman had sent it off to.

And so, calming herself, she answered, " My name is Elodie Lancaster. I was to be your guide on your quest to reclaim the lost treasures of that Map."

"So it _was_ treasure!" whispered the woman, astounded. As soon as her surprise emerged, however, it vanished. "Wait a minute! Are you lying to me?"

"I am not," replied Elodie. She had been expecting this; this skepticism. "If you wish to hear more, then let us go somewhere else where no one can overhear…"

The woman looked less than eager to comply, but she reluctantly shuffled forward into a deserted, dilapidated building. The windows provided enough daylight for sight; when the woman closed the door behind her, Elodie exhaled and said, "Thank you. Now I can reveal myself to you."

With these words, Elodie willed herself to become translucent to the human eye. She felt a shake throughout her being; the room momentarily turned white. Elodie knew her revelation had worked when she heard a gasp.

"So you are a spirit…" mused the woman, her blue eyes wide with wonder. Those eyes brought Elodie both joy and pain. The longer she looked at the woman's eyes, the more memories flooded back to Elodie's mind.

All at once, she was remembering Arthur, Matthias, Ingrid, Serene, Rosalina, Tobias… and others of a less than savory nature.

The memories almost overwhelmed Elodie… she missed Arthur.

She missed Arthur terribly.

"Are… are you well?" the woman cautiously asked. It was clear she had seen the storm of emotions consume Elodie's face.

"Yes, I am. Thank you. I have been dormant for many long years, waiting for a hero," replied Elodie. "By winning the Map from its resting place, you have begun the quest that cannot now be undone. This journey you have wrought is not for the faint of heart… it will be quite dangerous."

"Dangerous?" squeaked the woman. "Oh! Am I glad I sent it off to Mario!"

This was what Elodie needed to know. "Who is Mario?"

The woman's cheeks turned pink—seeing it, Elodie was certain that history would repeat itself… at least to some degree. She recognized that look: she wore it herself, a thousand years ago.

Slowly, the woman replied, "Someone very dear to me."

Elodie could not help but smile at the faintness of her voice. "I see," she said, trying not to feel nervous. With luck, this time the quest would end quite differently. "I can understand why you sent it, then. I can only pray that it reaches him safely… But while I know of your special one, I have not been told your name."

"Oh, how terribly rude of me. My name is Princess Peach."

"Peach," mused Elodie. She thought it a strange name, but lovely nonetheless. "What ages have passed? What year is it?"

The princess appeared confused by this question, but she answered what year it was as Elodie requested. Upon hearing the answer, Elodie's eyes widened.

"I cannot deny it now. The seal _is_ breaking," she whispered to herself. She knew that there was only so much time before the shadow emerged… and her true hero was yet unknown to her. Turning away from Peach, Elodie exclaimed, "Where is this man you spoke of? I must locate him immediately. He will need my help."

"Oh! Well, he is—"

But as the woman was answering, Elodie noticed something dark sneaking up behind Peach. She gasped sharply and extended a translucent hand towards the creeping shadowy figure, knowing exactly what it was even before it showed its face. She would recognize that slinking silhouette anywhere.

Elodie had hoped never to see the shadow again.

"Beldam!" snarled Elodie.

There was a horridly shrill cackle, and from the ground emerged a dark silhouette with a long, pointed nose and a sinister smirk. There was a glimmer in her black eyes—Elodie could not restrain her fury at seeing the silhouette again. After all these years, she had hoped that Beldam had died… but alas, here she stood, as wicked as the day Elodie had laid herself to rest.

"You wretch!" she screamed, pointing a finger at Beldam. "How dare you show your face to me!"

Beldam merely snickered. "Oh, I missed you, too. What a warm reception after all these years, Lady Lancaster… I must admit I am shocked that you have survived."

The following silence was short-lived as Beldam gasped in mock surprise.

"Ah! But you have not! You are just a spirit… I am afraid then, my lovely, that you will not be able to gain your revenge on me."

Elodie snarled, her silver eyes spitting a very real fire. "We shall see. Although I may not be able to lay a hand on you myself, my champion may yet destroy you for me."

Beldam cackled again, inching that much closer to Peach. Elodie knew that she had to get the woman out of the situation before a dark spiral of capture or torture could begin.

"Peach," snapped Elodie, her voice strained. "Come with me. We do not need to waste our time here."

With a smirk that nearly stretched off her face, Beldam taunted, "Is this your heroine, Lady Lancaster? _This_ helpless little thing? I must pity you. She wouldn't be able to hurt a fly."

"No, she is not," replied Elodie, holding her head high. A smirk formed upon _her_ face. "You are too late, Beldam. My Map has been sent off to be received by my true champion. Good luck finding it now… it is far beyond your reach."

For the first time since her arrival, Beldam's grin faltered. The gleam in her eye diminished; suddenly, she looked horrified. Elodie relished in the temporary triumph it brought her, just as Beldam's utter silence did. She glared at the specter, her eyes narrowed, wishing beyond anything that she could curse Beldam into oblivion.

Peach looked between the two spirits, obviously curious about the exchange. It was clear she knew that there was history between the two.

The silence was again shattered by Beldam. "Very well, then! I shall simply have to squeeze the information out of this Peach! And you, Lancaster… I think it's time that you go back to sleep."

"Peach, _run!_ " shrieked Elodie, using whatever she could of her power to propel Peach forward. The princess, however, was startled beyond all comprehension and only ran to the back of the dilapidated building, where there was no exit.

"Elodie!" exclaimed Peach, her blue eyes wide with panic.

"Go!" Elodie cried, forcing her spirit form in front of Peach. "Beldam will not spare you! Quickly!"

As she commanded her heroine, Elodie reached out a hand to intercept a ball of shadow that Beldam flung towards her. It took much of Elodie's power to deflect it into the wall—where it hit, a vortex of dark energy materialized.

"I cannot hold her off any longer!" shouted Elodie. She looked behind her to face Peach, who looked terrified. "Go, I beg you!"

Just as Peach nodded and sprinted forward to the exit, Beldam launched another ball of shadow at Elodie. It hit Elodie in the chest, making her gasp—some sort of Beldam's magic kept her locked in place. Then, although Peach had reached the door and was nearly free, Beldam seized her hand, opened a shadowy portal in the ground, and disappeared, Peach's shriek echoing in Elodie's ears.

"No…" whispered Elodie. But the magic in Beldam's attack was forcing her deep into a void of sleep; a void that she would only be able to break through when her _true_ hero arrived.


	3. -The Seal-

* * *

- _One Thousand Years Ago_ -

 _"_ _Go! Quickly!" bellowed Matthias, and none of the remaining four waited to obey._

_Arthur seized Elodie's hand—Elodie grabbed Ingrid's, and with the five heroes all connected, they bolted from the inner sanctum of the Palace of Shadow._

_The demon was shrieking behind them, casting curses along the hallways and the corridors of the fallen city. Balls of swirling dark energy were hurtled towards them, colliding into the walls with deafening crashes. Chunks of stone began to collapse from the ceiling; Elodie yelped and dove into Arthur to avoid being crushed._

_She dared to look behind them only to see the demon shedding her physical form. The silhouette of their adversary was no longer that of a woman: now, her_ _**true** _ _self shone through._

_Elodie had long suspected that the demon had abandoned her humanity in all aspects, but watching this transformation was the final proof._

_Her hands turned into claws; her hair burned wild, solid black but streaked with white and grey; the silver of her eyes sputtered and died, to be reborn anew in crimson._

_And she was staring directly at Elodie._

_"_ _You traitor!" screamed the demon. "You are a disgrace!"_

_Arthur squeezed Elodie's hand and shouted, "There's no time, my love!"_

_Elodie blinked, realizing she had stopped running away as she watched the woman she once thought she knew turn into the monster she had been for years, and sprinted onward as her husband bade her._

_They passed through the end of the corridors and reached the Hallowed Tower: it was shaking in the midst of the underground lake, ripples of water splashing onto the ground._

_The woman spared only one glance towards it before hurrying onward._

_It was the labyrinth that awaited them next: its maze an impregnable puzzle, one that only the wisest of heroes would be able to crack or identify._

_Ingrid took the lead once they made it thus far; she navigated them swiftly without a word, as the remainder of her friends did what they could to avoid the shadowed minions that the demon was sending after them—_

_"_ _Matthias, get down!" roared Arthur._

_And Matthias did so, thanks to his unfailing trust in his friend—Arthur withdrew his sword from its sheath and sliced directly at the air above his head._

_An earsplitting shriek sounded through the room: a bat-like demon with gleaming fangs lay dead upon the ground, a bloody gash newly adorning its chest._

_Serene's emerald eyes flashed. The sorceress turned around and bellowed, a growl in her throat, "Keep back from us, fiends, lest we send you all down to the abyss!"_

_Elodie gasped as a glowing white shield purged the dozens of the demon's minions that pursued them. The shield was pulsing with energy, growing larger and larger with each passing second—and then, with a shudder and a bellow of rage, Serene propelled the shield down the narrow corridor from whence she and her friends had come._

_"_ _I bought us time," said Serene, her voice back to normal. "But we must go. As quickly as possible."_

_Ingrid swallowed and nodded, resuming her duty of leading her friends back to safety._

_"_ _You wretch!" screamed the demon's voice. But now it was becoming fainter and farther away—even so, Elodie felt tears spark her eyes as it shouted, "You were an embarrassment from the start, Elodie Lancaster, and I will be better off without you!"_

 _"_ _Keep going," murmured Arthur. He was clearly concerned as he looked at his wife; but Elodie did not dare to meet his gaze, lest he see the guilt that she felt deep in her heart._

_It took ten minutes, but at last the Door was in reach. Matthias dove forth and yanked it open; the rest of his friends followed…_

_He slammed the door behind them._

_The shrieking of the demon was finally silenced._

_For a brief moment in time, Elodie stood in the chamber leading into the Palace of Shadow, one hand clasped upon her side as she struggled to regain her breath. The rest of her friends were doing the same—Ingrid was keeping a weather eye upon the door._

_"_ _She will be back," sighed Elodie at last, when her lungs no longer felt fragile. "We could not end her. She will… she will not give up."_

_Matthias looked back to the door and placed a hand upon the great-sword on his sheath. "Should we go back in?"_

_Ingrid shook her head, her curly red hair blocking her dark eyes. "No, Matthias. Our plan was successful, but only to a certain extent. We did not anticipate the reaction from the Crystal Stars. They are… too young still to be put to their ultimate use as of yet."_

_"_ _How long will it take?" asked Arthur. He reached inside his tunic and withdrew the Diamond Star that he had held throughout the battle. "We will be dead long before fifty years are up."_

_Ingrid mimicked Arthur's gesture, withdrawing the Emerald and the Crystal gemstones from within her knapsack. She took a brief moment to inspect them before finally saying, "It will take hundreds of years. Maybe even a thousand."_

_"_ _A_ _**thousand?** _ _" repeated both Serene and Matthias, their fear shining through for perhaps the first time of the evening._

_It was Serene who regained her composure first to say, "We cannot… there is no spell, not even among my people, to prolong our lives for that long…"_

_"_ _I know," sighed Ingrid, closing her eyes. "We must trust in the heroes of that time."_

_Another silence settled throughout the room._

_"_ _The demon will follow us by the end of the_ _**night,** _ _" whispered Arthur. He placed a heavy hand upon Elodie's shoulder: it was a gesture of encouragement, a way to let him know that he would be by her side no matter what—but the trembling of his lip betrayed that he too was afraid. "Is there no way to delay her?"_

_Immediately after the Lord of Petal Meadows finished this question, the door behind them pounded._

_Elodie gasped and whirled towards the door. Its color was normally a soft maroon, etched with the symbols of the seven Crystal Stars._

_Now, it was black. Cracks were beginning to spread through the foundation of the chamber._

_There was only one thing that Elodie could think to do, and still she was not sure that it would work._

_She withdrew the Garnet Star from within her breast pocket and stared at it. The jewel glimmered at her with a faint orange light; even holding it in her hand, Elodie could feel the immense power of this gemstone._

_Her plan could work, if…_

_"_ _Give me the Crystal Stars!"_

_Serene shot Elodie an incredulous look, as though she were about to refuse—but Matthias and Ingrid and Arthur wasted no time in fulfilling Elodie's request. Before long, all of the gemstones were in the woman's hands._

_With a deep breath, Elodie cast a brief charm on them to have them hover in the air. She stood upon a pedestal in the middle of the room: it began to glow aquamarine and so too did her hands._

_"_ _Be gone from here," said Elodie, using all of her strength to keep her voice calm. "You were defeated. You will be bested once again by a hero of our making. We will not concede, to let you end the world as you so intended."_

_The Crystal Stars floated in their places and began to spin, faster and faster with every word that exited Elodie's mouth. Somewhere deep in the labyrinth of the Palace of Shadow, a roar of unbridled anger could be heard._

_But now Elodie knew it was working._

_She could do it—she could seal it._

_"_ _Sleep. Sleep for a thousand years, for that is when our hero will come. There will be no darkness, nor everlasting shadow: not so long as our legend lives and spreads. There will be no darkness_ _**ever.** _ _"_

_Diamond, Emerald, Gold, Ruby, Sapphire, Garnet, Crystal. Each of the seven Crystal Stars shook and wavered in the air—and then, they burst into a rainbow of color, filling the room with white and green, blue and purple, yellow and pink. Their light refracted off of the door that sealed the demon._

_Etchings of color flooded the door, revealing the magic that built it in the first place. And then, with a final burst of power, a film of silver cascaded over the door._

_As soon as the spell had begun, it was ended: the door stood silent, its normal maroon color._

_It was over… for now._

_Elodie collapsed to her knees. Her energy was gone, and she was spent—Arthur sprinted forth and gathered her in his arms, kneeling upon the pedestal so he might support her._

_"_ _Is she… gone?" asked Matthias, the first to break the ringing quiet._

_The others gathered around the Lord and Lady of Petal Meadows, eyes wide and inquisitive._

_Elodie swallowed to clear the dryness of her mouth before answering, "She will not be gone forever. But it will buy us time. That seal—it will last for the thousand years that we need. The Crystal Stars yielded to this much, at the least."_

_"_ _But what about us?" asked Serene, her thin mouth set in a scowl. "We will not be around in one thousand years to combat it agin."_

 _"_ _No," Elodie agreed. "We will not. We must spread the word of this deed: sow our legend so it is not forgotten. There will always be heroes, Serene. We must trust in the hope that a thousand years from now… there will be one powerful enough to finish what we have started."_

_Arthur kissed his wife's forehead, holding her close. She took what comfort she could from his presence… no one quite supported her the way he did._

_"_ _I have an idea, for the hero that may one day come," she continued. Although her voice was soft, the attentiveness with which her friends listened caused it to echo around the chamber. "We can create a Map, to reveal where the Crystal Stars lay. They will be needed to best the demon, and it is a way to ensure the demon can never use them herself… it will take great magic, but we could leave a remnant of ourselves, to guide this hero down the path we have traveled. Once the gemstones have matured for the thousand years passed… they might be used to finally destroy her, as there is no way now that we can do so ourselves."_

 _"_ _That is… a monumental decision," remarked Matthias, whose nervous tick was scratching the back of his neck, and whose body language betrayed him now._

 _"_ _It is not one we must make at this moment," said Ingrid. She looked towards Elodie and managed a small smile. "Elodie has given us time. That is all we needed. We should return to Petal Meadows and rest before making a choice such as this."_

_The quintet looked back towards the door: it sat quietly, and what cracks had formed upon the wall were no longer visible. It looked as though nothing lay beyond that maze, as though the Palace of Shadow were a truly ancient ruin instead of a city recently destroyed._

_"_ _Then let us return home," said Arthur._

_He gently aided Elodie in rising to her feet; and after exchanging hopeful looks with one another, they exited the chamber._


	4. -The Quest Begins-

* * *

Aqua lights seared through Elodie’s sleeping conscience, launching her out of her slumber. With a startled gasp, she blinked… only to find herself in front of the Door that she had sealed shut all those years ago.

Remarkably, the chamber had barely changed at all throughout what time had passed. The chamber was made of silver and white stone, much of which was still in place, save for a few floor-tiles that had been cracked or broken. The marble pillars remained immaculate, as detailed as they had been during the sanctum’s construction. The Door too was untouched… and was now the Thousand-Year Door, just as the legend she had spread foretold.

Realizing what must have happened to wake her, Elodie gasped and looked at the pedestal, which would unlock the Map—

And there stood her hero: the man who must’ve been Mario.

“My champion,” she mused, a gradual smile filling her face. Elodie could not see much from him at first glance, save for a sense of adventuring. She hoped that he was a strong, enduring character… he would need those qualities if he were to last throughout the journey. “You are Mario, are you not?”

Hearing her soft remark, the man—and a small young woman who stood beside him—glanced upward. Both seemed shocked to see Elodie’s spirit floating above them.

“Uh, who are _you?_ ” asked the woman, her voice full of fire. Her dirty-blonde hair was hidden underneath a hard-helmet, and she looked at Elodie with brown eyes of curiosity and skepticism.

Elodie smiled, already amused by the woman’s bold nature. She would be a good help to this Mario, of that, the spirit was certain. Curtseying more-so out of habit than courtesy, she said, “My name is Elodie Lancaster. I am the spirit bound to the Map you hold in your hands.”

Mario looked down at the Map that he possessed. Elodie could already see the effects of her magic upon it—Arthur’s castle in Petal Meadows had appeared, pointing Mario to the first of the seven Crystal Stars.

A chill ran across her ethereal spine at the remembrance of that dread castle…

“I never heard of any legend about a spirit bound to the Map,” the woman replied distastefully. “Why should we trust you?”

Elodie willed herself lower, so she could look into the duo’s eyes. Softly, she answered, “There is nothing I can answer you to that. All I can offer is my guidance and knowledge of the history behind this Map.”

The woman looked at Mario, clearly waiting for his verdict. Mario himself was peering at Elodie strangely, as if he could see straight into her thoughts. Elodie was pleased by his instinct to listen and reflect before making a decision. In that way, he reminded her of Arthur…

After a nearly unbearable pause, he said, “Very well. What do you have to tell us about these Crystal Stars?”

“Mario!” hissed the woman. “Professor Frankly could answer that.”

But Mario only gave the girl a look and she fell silent—he then redirected his gaze to Elodie, who noticed that Mario’s eyes were blue like Arthur’s as well.

A wistful smile tugged at Elodie’s lips. “There are seven of them, crafted over a thousand years ago. To keep them out of reach of evil hands, four heroes and I divided them across the lands. They have laid dormant for a thousand years, awaiting someone to reunite them.”

“But if your spirit is here, then where are the spirits of the other four heroes?” asked the woman.

A shadow cascaded over Elodie’s shimmering face—her silver eyes dulled to a dreary grey.

“They all departed this life whilst scattering the Crystal Stars. I was the only one who survived the ordeal; the only one able to tie myself to the Map.”

Mario’s face morphed from curious to sympathetic—he obviously noted the emotion and pain in Elodie’s expression and voice. It was then that he declared, “I think we should believe her, Goombella.”

The woman—Goombella—looked astounded and opened her mouth as if to protest… but after a moment, she closed it and nodded.

Relieved that his companion had yielded to his decision, Mario chuckled, which made Elodie smile.

This was progressing far better than she had dared to hope.

“It was Elodie, wasn’t it?” asked Mario. Seeing Elodie’s nod, he then asked, “Where does this first Crystal Star lead us?”

Elodie pointed a shimmering finger to the castle that had appeared on the Map and responded, “This was once my home… Petal Meadows. It houses the Diamond Star, the first of the seven. I fear, however, that after a thousand years, evil may have infested the castle. You must be very careful; it could be dangerous.”

Mario sighed and grumbled something to himself that sounded like, “When is it _not_ dangerous?”

A whimsical smile etched onto Elodie’s face—seeing that she had heard him, Mario blinked and took a sudden interest in the Map again.

But Elodie began daring to hope… clearly, this was not the _first_ adventure that he had ever embarked on.

He seemed to glance at her questioningly, but before he could speak, Elodie’s form flickered again. She knew that the essence of the Magical Map was beginning to wear off—urgently, she exclaimed, “There is not much time left for me to speak to you now. I wish you the best of luck, Mario and Goombella… I believe you are strong enough to begin your quest. I shall see you next when the Diamond Star is in your hands.”

"W-wait!” exclaimed Goombella. “There are so many more questions!”

“In time, they shall be answered,” Elodie said, trying to be comforting. Yet even as she spoke, her voice grew fainter, her vision more blurred. She could no longer see the comforting familiarity that was Mario’s eyes—the eyes that reminded her of Arthur. “With no Crystal Stars in your hands, my power is weak. The more you collect, the longer I shall appear to guide you. But I promise that whilst I am with you, I shall do all in my power to help your cause.”

“Will this quest lead me to find Princess Peach?” said Mario.

Elodie blinked. She had almost forgotten about the woman who had opened her jewelry box in the first place, and inadvertently began the battle to rid the world of shadow…

She was forced to make a quick decision. If she said no, there was a chance that Mario might forsake the journey and banish any hope the world had of survival. If she said yes, he might eventually discover the truth and feel betrayed.

But there was no real choice.

“Yes,” Elodie exhaled, barely more than a whisper. “Yes, it will. Good luck.”

And with that, she disappeared, faded again to dreams—yet this time, those dreams were memories.


	5. -A New Beginning-

* * *

_-One Thousand And Ten Years Ago-_

_Elodie had been running away from her old home for two weeks when at last she found a sign of civilization. It was a large city, and so she hoped that someone would provide her refuge if she were able to perform some housework…_

_She stepped up to the first house that she saw. Full of fear, Elodie knocked, knowing that she looked ravaged, if not completely insane. Her clothes were torn and tattered, her shoes nothing but strips of cloth attached to her feet. She could hardly even feel her toes; her calves and feet were covered in thin, red lines from scratches of brambles and weeds. And although Elodie wasn't sure, she was fairly certain that her hair was clumped together with twigs and snags._

_Her knock was answered; Elodie was greeted by an elderly woman with a kindly smile and deep brown eyes. Apparently undeterred by Elodie's horrid appearance, the woman exclaimed, "Hello, dear! What I can do for you?"_

_"_ _If you c-could give me directions to someplace I can work in exchange for shelter, that w-would be greatly appreciated," stuttered Elodie. It was nearing winter, and she was freezing where she stood._

 _"_ _Of course," the woman replied. "But first, come inside and warm up. You look weary, dear. Certainly you've been traveling for far too long."_

_Elodie knew that she could not stay—she had fled her home for a reason. She had to find the authority of this land and warn him or her of the dangers that lurked in their neighboring country…_

_At the same time, however, she was too haggard to continue on immediately: and so Elodie answered, "Thank you, madam, for your hospitality."_

_The woman smiled and held the door open. Elodie walked inside and found herself in a very homely house. On the wall furthest from the door roared a healthy fire—the woman ushered Elodie to sit in front of it, and the girl did so without complaint._

_As Elodie sat and recuperated from her venture, the woman walked into the kitchen and asked, "Where are you from, dear? And what is your name?"_

_"_ _My name is Elodie. I'm from the Hallowed City."_

_Astonished, her hostess said, "Why on earth did you leave? The Hallowed City is at the pinnacle of its success!"_

_"_ _Perhaps for the majority of its denizens, but not for my family," replied Elodie, but that was all she wanted to say on the matter. What had happened to her family still left her numb; she had cried enough tears already. In fact, Elodie almost felt as if she were out of tears to shed whenever she had been starving, or freezing, or thirsting during her venture to Petal Meadows._

_Sensing Elodie's retreat from the conversation, the woman said nothing except, "My name is Alexandra. It's a pleasure to meet you, Elodie."_

_"_ _The honor is mine, Alexandra. I am in your debt."_

_Alexandra moved forward with a bowl of soup, outstretching it to Elodie, who stared at it with wide eyes._

_"_ _Go on," insisted Alexandra—and Elodie could not resist any longer than that. She seized the bowl and the wooden spoon and ate quickly, forgetting all manners for the reason that this was the first solid meal she'd had in two weeks. It was only halfway through her meal that Elodie realized her savagery; embarrassed, she cleared her throat and slowed her pace so she might eat like a civilized person._

_Alexandra, however, did not seem to want to restrain her. "Oh, go on, dear," she sighed, though not unkindly, placing a warm hand on Elodie's shoulder. "It's obvious you've gone long enough without proper care. Don't worry about impressing little old me."_

_Despite her hostess's words, Elodie didn't want to seem like such a cretin. While she sped up her pace, she did not eat with reckless abandon as she had previously. As she continued, Alexandra murmured, "I believe you wanted directions to a place where you can exchange work for shelter. Lord Arthur may be able to take you in. I must warn you, though, he's been a bit temperamental of late… his poor mother caught an illness and has passed away this summer."_

_This news made Elodie stop short. He was not the only one to have recently lost a mother. Her silver eyes were wide as she whispered, "How awful."_

_"_ _Yes," agreed Alexandra, her gaze upon the floor. "She was most beloved. But it is Arthur now who has ascended to Lordship, and it is his charge to take in those who need it. Tell me, Elodie—how old are you?"_

 _"_ _Eighteen, not a month ago."_

 _"_ _Then perhaps you can be an indentured servant, or a maid in his palace," sighed Alexandra. "I wish I could give you more information, but I've only seen the palace once."_

_Elodie swallowed the last bit of soup and carefully set the bowl upon the floor. "What direction is the castle?"_

_"_ _To the west. You are in Petalburg right now, my dear. If you have come from the Hallowed City, you have actually traversed_ _**past** _ _Arthur's castle to get here. But worry not—if you follow the road leading west, you are sure to reach it."_

_Although Elodie was less than excited about the prospect of returning to the road, she knew it was necessary to warn him of the danger in the Hallowed City._

_"_ _Thank you, Alexandra," sighed Elodie. She picked up the bowl and placed it on the table before bowing. "You've been very kind."_

 _"_ _Hold on, now! You can't go to the castle without at least cleaning up a little first. You're a pretty girl—Lord Arthur might have more pity on you if he can see your face," advised Alexandra._

_Elodie, knowing she was a horrid mess, flushed. The woman was probably right… she was not presentable enough to be summoned inside the castle of a Lord. It was only for that reason that Elodie allowed herself to be ushered into a bathing room; Alexandra heated water over the cauldron in her main room and left Elodie to wash herself once that was done._

_Throughout the process of washing, Elodie used the looking glass to figure out where all the tangles in her hair were, and where dirt had accumulated upon her body. It was a long and tedious process, but at last, she was finished—the vast majority of her skin was clear, and her hair was recognizably golden-white again and was free of muck and shrubbery. Her silver eyes gleamed out from her pale face… she hoped she was now able to win access to the palace._

_With a deep breath, Elodie exited the room and asked, "How do I look?"_

_Alexandra smiled warmly. "You shall be admitted for certain, my dear. Lord Arthur has always been a merciful man, but this shall only seal your certainty. But I will admit, my dear—I would be worried about you wandering alone. Allow me to come with you."_

_This was not said so much as a request as it was a statement; and Elodie, glad for the company upon the road, immediately acquiesced._

_"_ _Here," declared Alexandra, shuffling forward and draping a woolen shawl over Elodie's shoulders. "It is nearing winter, and the winds are growing colder."_

_Elodie thanked Alexandra again—and once the elderly woman had donned a cotton coat and a shawl of her own, the two set out of Alexandra's house and off to the west._

_It only took a few hours to reach the castle; the women engaged in deep conversation regarding the state of Petal Meadows, and how Lord Arthur had done well so far in such a speedy transition of Lordship. Alexandra needed a few breaks to stop and catch her breath or lean upon her cane, all of which Elodie was glad to give her._

_By dusk, the women were stumbling up to the exceptionally large drawbridge of the Petal Meadows palace. A river was below the bridge; the sound of swirling water stirred Elodie's nervousness. She looked around and suddenly realized how very impressive the castle was… The only structure bigger than this was the palace in the Hallowed City—the newly titled Palace of Shadow._

_Elodie shivered, her mind wandering to dark memories. She wanted to never think of that infernal place again…_

_At an encouraging nod from Alexandra, Elodie seized the humongous brass knocker on the door and announced their presence with a loud_ _**BANG** _ _._

_The sound echoed throughout the valley that the castle sat in. Elodie cringed and wrapped the woolen shawl tighter around her shoulders, squeezing her eyes shut. She hoped she hadn't knocked too obnoxiously._

_A minute or two passed before she heard someone storming towards the door. Before she could wonder what was going on, the entryway abruptly swung open, and a man's voice began shouting, "Who is it that would disrupt—"_

_But that shout immediately stopped._

_Elodie, hearing the sudden silence, opened her eyes and withdrew her head from hiding inside her shawl. She blinked once or twice as she looked at the man who had answered the door._

_The man was a few years older than she, but not many. One of his hands was running through his curly brown hair, a look of shock on his face. His other hand was loosely poised toward the silver sword at his belt… but what captivated Elodie's attention was the color of his eyes._

_They were sky-blue and incredibly bright: as bright as her own._

_Realizing that they were both just staring at each other, Elodie cleared her throat uneasily and asked, "Are… are you Lord Arthur?"_

_"_ _It depends on who is asking," replied the man, raising an eyebrow. He looked towards Alexandra and bowed lightly, stating, "Is this woman your daughter, Alexandra? Was there something I could do for you?"_

_Alexandra smiled warmly and shook her head. "No, my Lord, but I wished to accompany her here. She has traveled far from the Hallowed City and is seeking shelter."_

_The Lord Arthur raised a delicate eyebrow as he scanned Elodie's face._

_Noting that it was her time to speak, she curtseyed lightly—never mind the ragged clothing—and somehow managed to stammer, "My Lord, there is something I must warn you about, and something I must ask."_

_The look on the man's face softened considerably. He seemed to notice that Elodie and Alexandra were shivering in the cold. With a small smile, he stepped toward them and bowed, saying, "I am pleased to say that Lord Arthur is at your service. Now come inside. I will not have two lovely ladies like yourself freeze to death at my doorstep."_

_Elodie couldn't help but smile, as the Lord Arthur's was infectious. As she stepped forward, she felt the slightest brush at her elbow. She looked down to see his fingers graze her arm—Elodie felt herself flush._

_Immediately she scolded herself. She might have been a lady in her village, but that was before her father had passed away. Now she had no business consulting with a Lord of the neighboring country._

_"_ _I am well acquainted with Alexandra—a saint among sinners, truly. Might you tell me your name?" he asked as they walked inside._

_Alexandra chuckled somewhat at the Lord Arthur's quip, but gestured Elodie on so she could answer his question._

_The young woman, however, was silent for a good amount of time. She had just entered the most majestic foyer that the world perhaps had to offer. A fuzzy white carpet was beneath her feet, which felt amazing after miles of cold, frozen dirt. There were fires burning in braziers so that she was blasted by warmth. And the ceilings were made of a light colored stone so that even in winter, the palace retained a great amount of color._

_"_ _This is beautiful," she murmured. Her voice echoed throughout the room._

 _"_ _This?" questioned Lord Arthur. "This is nothing compared to the woman accompanying me."_

_Elodie blinked, a smile forcing itself onto her face. She avoided looking at the Lord's face for fear of appearing easily impressionable or lovesick._

_Alexandra, meanwhile, was looking mightily pleased with herself—or either with Elodie or the Lord Arthur—or perhaps all three._

_"_ _I highly doubt that," Elodie finally replied, gazing at the far end of the room. "My name is Elodie Lancaster, my Lord."_

 _"_ _Elodie. A lovely name," said Lord Arthur. He walked toward her and gently gestured her towards another door. "Now, Elodie Lancaster, I believe you mentioned a topic of importance and a question you'd like to ask me. Would you like to ask the question and discuss matters over dinner?"_

 _Again, she blinked and attempted to protest—but Alexandra nudged her somewhat in the ribs with her elbow, and Lord Arthur himself would have none of it. And so it was that Elodie eventually gave in and meekly declared, "Oh, very_ _**well,** _ _then. I… my Lord, I was going to ask if perhaps I might become a servant in your palace in exchange for a place to stay."_

_Lord Arthur seemed surprised. "Was that all? My lady Elodie, feel free to remain here until the end of time. And no payment is necessary, either. Being a friend to me in difficult times shall be enough service as it is."_

_Elodie smiled once again, though she said nothing._

_Hearing the silence, Arthur seized the opportunity to say, "Let us eat now. You both must have traveled long to get here, and it would be dishonorable of me to not treat you well. I shall not have either of you fall ill whilst in my care."_

_He smiled at them once again—and Elodie could not help but smile in return, lost in the warmth of his sky-blue eyes._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, I just wanted to say thank you for reading this far if you have! Sorry the updates have been slow, I've been really consumed by an Attack on Titan story that I'm about to post on Ao3, not to mention I'm still getting the hang of updating two sites instead of one now haha :) Anyway thank you! Feel free to let me know how the story is going. I hope it's not too confusing or anything, it's just a little tribute I made to one of my favorite games (and I almost never write one-shots below like, 8k words so of course I had to turn it into a loving, darker fic compared to what Mario stories normally get). 
> 
> Have a good day! Thank you! :)


	6. -The Diamond Star-

* * *

Elodie was awoken from her dreams a third time, although this time it felt as if her lungs were being compressed. With a sharp gasp of pain, she broke through the barriers of her binding and into the world of the living, where she found herself floating in the tallest tower of the castle that was once her home.

"Elodie?" said Mario's voice.

She tried to search for her hero, but a white film obstructed her eyes. After a brief moment of furious blinking, however, she was greeted by the form of a huge dragon sprawled across the ground. It extremities were still twitching.

"Hooktail," whispered Elodie. The dragon had long attempted to infest Arthur's castle when they had been alive—it was only thanks to Arthur's strength and leadership that it had not succeeded. The creature had probably wasted no time in occupying the beacon once they were gone.

But now, her champion had defeated the dragon.

Her eyes shining with pride, Elodie lowered herself to the ground, where Mario was standing with Goombella and two other men—one of them was middle-aged yet confident. The other was a young man, scrawny and timid.

Smiling, Elodie looked at Mario and said, "I see you have found yourself another companion."

Mario nodded and gestured the young man forward. The teen did so, yet it was hesitantly. As he shuffled forward, Mario exclaimed, "Koops, this is Elodie. She is the spirit bound to the Magical Map; she will be our guide throughout the journey. Elodie, this is Koops. He lives in Petalburg."

"Petalburg!" exclaimed Elodie excitedly. "It has survived all these years? Tell me, Koops, I beg you—how fares the kingdom?"

Koops seemed startled by being directly addressed by a spirit, but he stammered nonetheless, "K-kingdom? It's not really a kingdom anymore, it's—it's a small village now, but it's doing fine. Very peaceful, as it has always been. Hooktail had been wreaking havoc over us, but Mario put a stop to that… But Petalburg still stands. It's a very nice place."

Hearing this, Elodie was delighted. She would often take her children to Petalburg if they ever wished to get out of the castle or spend time with their friends that lived there. Even if it was but a shadow of what it once had been, the fact that Petalburg had survived over ten centuries was enough to bring her newfound hope.

Elodie knew that she could not cry as a spirit—but had she been alive, she knew that tears would be filming in her eyes.

"How comforting," she whispered, a smile upon her face. "Thank you, Koops."

Koops grinned too; it was the most confident Elodie had seen him yet. "My pleasure, my lady."

Elodie couldn't help but laugh at that… while it only seemed that she'd heard the title yesterday, it _had_ been a thousand years since she was addressed as such. She decided she quite liked the Petalburg lad.

Remembering, however, that she might not have much time to speak to Mario, she turned towards him and asked, "You have retrieved the Diamond Star?"

In answer, Mario held out the glimmering silver star—the star that had been her daughter's favorite. Seeing it, Elodie was half-repulsed, yet still relieved.

"Good," she sighed, forcing herself to smile. "And… I am sorry, but I must ask… Did you find a black chest within the castle?"

Mario's face darkened somewhat, but he nodded.

"Did the spirit inside curse you?"

Another nod.

Elodie exhaled and momentarily turned away from her hero. At least now she knew… Arthur's spirit was finally free.

"Thank you," she whispered back to Mario. "That spirit has had to wait for a thousand years to be released. Despite what you might think, the black chests you see throughout your journey are trying to _help_ you."

" _Help?_ " burst out Goombella, her brown eyes narrowed. "They cursed us!"

Elodie nodded. "Yes, they have. But you would not have made it far without their curses. Think about it, Goombella… you would not have even found the Thousand-Year Door without that first black chest, would you?"

There was a silence as the three processed these words. After another moment, Mario said, "Worse things could have happened. And Elodie is right. We wouldn't have made it here without those… spirits, I believe you said."

Grateful for his comment, Elodie smiled and murmured, "Thank you for understanding."

Another brief silence occurred, until Koops asked, "So, uh… Lady Elodie… where is the next Crystal Star?"

"In order to see where it lies, you must first take the Diamond Star to the Thousand-Year Door," Elodie answered. "The Door is like the key to the Map, which has upon it a great spell that shall direct you to each Crystal Star in the order that they were once recovered from their maker. I thought it would be the most efficient way to guide our champion for when their quest would begin."

Goombella and Koops both seemed appeased—but, to Elodie's surprise, it was Mario who frowned while asking, "Will this next Crystal Star lead me to Princess Peach?"

Elodie blinked. What was she to say?

"I cannot tell," she answered honestly. "Since this one has not, I would say there is a possibility. But… Mario, if you truly wish for my opinion… I do not think you shall see your princess for a while."

"What makes you say that?"

Elodie exhaled slowly. She knew that if she did not say the truth now, then he may never forgive her later.

"I… I was awoken by your Princess Peach when she first collected the Map. She found it; I was revived… She told me she was sending it to you, but before she was returned to safety, an old enemy of mine stole her away. I tried to help her escape, but I was incredibly weak. I could not prevent her capture. I'm sorry."

Mario watched Elodie intently as she spoke. When it was clear she was finished, he glared at the ground and said nothing.

Sensing his anger, she added, "I regret not telling you earlier, Mario. I hope you may yet forgive me."

"I will," he answered, but he would not look at her. "But I had hoped for better news."

"I understand," murmured Elodie, but her heart sank. This is what she had been afraid of. "If it comforts you at all, I promise you will find her at the end of this quest, if not during it."

There was a very unhelpful disquiet… Elodie wished Mario would say something. She dearly desired to know what he was thinking, if there was any way she could get him to trust her again.

But she was given nothing.

Strangely enough, it was Goombella who came to Elodie's rescue.

"Well, Mario, at least we know we'll find her. It just might take more time than we anticipated."

Mario glanced at Goombella, who offered him a small smile. He seemed to relax slightly upon seeing it, albeit he was not his usual self just yet. Nonetheless, he sighed, looked Elodie in the eye, and said, "Thank you for telling me now, Elodie. At least now I know."

Elodie smiled, though the gesture was sad. "Of course, Mario… Now, you three best return to Petalburg to refresh and regroup before you set off for the Thousand-Year Door. Your journey is only beginning."

At this, Mario chuckled. "I have to agree with you there."

"Yes," laughed Elodie. "Yes, I'm afraid you must. But I believe in you, my champion. You have bested Hooktail, a beast who long terrorized my home whilst I was alive. This shows me your strength and fortitude, and only strengthens my certainty in you. This is a good omen."

Mario smiled sideways and looked back to the ground, yet said nothing.

At that moment, Elodie felt her form flicker—she knew that her time was waning once again. Knowing that she would not be able to speak to her champion until the Emerald Star was collected, Elodie exclaimed, "Mario, if you have any more questions, ask them quickly. I can feel myself fading…"

He thought for only a moment before asking, "What are the spirits in those black chests?"

Elodie's smile faltered; a shard of ice settled deep in her stomach, and the look upon her face became one of immense sorrow. "They are the spirits of my four friends. The first you located was a great and wise friend of mine, Ingrid. The one you have most recently released… was my husband. If our plan had progressed the way we intended a thousand years ago, it would have been I inside that black box. But alas, Arthur…"

She could not finish.

Mario, Goombella, and Koops all wore identical looks of sympathy. It was the former who said, "I'm sorry, Elodie."

"Do not be," she replied softly. "Before long, I pray, I will see him again."

"Arthur was your husband?" asked Goombella softly.

Elodie nodded. "Yes… I loved him very dearly." With these words, she felt herself growing fainter and fainter. She knew that the others could see how close she was to disappearing as well, and quickly said, "I must again thank you for releasing him after all this time. I shall be the last one you release, but that is a long while from now. Do not worry, my champions—I will be here to guide you for as long as you need me."

And before any more questions could be asked, Elodie's translucent eyes closed, and she was again swallowed by the void.


	7. -The Sacrifice of a Lord-

* * *

_"They should've been back a week ago."_

_Elodie looked towards her husband, who was restlessly pacing the lounge. Although he normally smiled upon seeing his wife teaching their young son to read, the Lord of Petal Meadows was much too distracted and concerned about his friends._

_It was two months since Serene, Matthias, Elodie, and Ingrid had set out to place the Crystal Stars in hidden places of the world. Elodie herself had returned from Poshley Heights only three days past; Arthur had not taken the Diamond Star into the depths of his castle's vaults yet, as he had been intending to do it ceremonially when they were all together again._

_The gesture would have been one of closure: of finality: of peace._

_But the others were late, and knowing the nature of the demon who created the Crystal Stars, both Elodie and Arthur were worried._

_"Perhaps the journeys were more perilous or took more time than expected," suggested Elodie, taking great care to keep her voice controlled. She needed to be strong now, for her husband's sake._

_Arthur groaned and plopped into a plush armchair by the fire. "I cannot see them being delayed by such menial things," he sighed, glancing out the window. The sun had just finished setting, signaling the end of the tenth day of their absence. "Serene is a powerful sorceress, Ingrid is wiser than any other person in this world, and Matthias is a renowned warrior. Something is **wrong,** Elodie."_

_Elodie didn't disagree. But she also didn't know what could've possibly befallen them… as Arthur had said, their friends could more than handle themselves._

_"Have there been any letters, any rumors?" asked Elodie, setting Tobias down upon the carpet so he could play with his toy soldiers._

_Arthur watched his son play for a brief moment before locking eyes with his wife and slowly shaking his head. His face was pale as he said in a hushed voice, "You don't think the demon escaped her bonds, do you?"_

_"If she did, I would know it. I would feel the breaking of the seal."_

_Although Elodie was certain in her magic, Arthur was not as well-versed in such matters; it seemed that in his mind, there was still sufficient room for doubt. The frown upon his face told her this. It was a look he wore only when he was deep in thought._

_"I could go look for them," Elodie suggested, loath as she was to leave her children again. She had already missed Tobias's third birthday in her efforts to hide the Garnet Star._

_"No!" cried Arthur. The suddenness of this comment made Tobias squeal. Considerably softer, he said, "No, Elodie. If you were to be lost as well, I… I would never forgive myself."_

_Elodie smiled, though the gesture was sad. She knew how tormented he was at this moment, even though he did not show it._

_There was a peal of laughter, and the woman looked towards the door of the lounge to see Rosalina playing with the Diamond Star, despite being told not to touch it._

_"Rosa!" snapped Arthur, leaping out of his armchair._

_Knowing that he was in a fragile state, Elodie rose and placed a hand on his shoulder. Her husband did not turn around, but she knew by his stillness that he was listening to her say, "I will take care of this, Arthur. I know it's hard, but please… do what you can to relax and be good to yourself."_

_His shoulders slumped, much of his angry bravado fading in an instant. He turned back to the chair, sat in it, and held his forehead in his hands._

_Elodie turned back to Rosalina, who had been watching her parents with wide silver eyes. She obviously knew—or perhaps had suddenly just remembered—that she wasn't allowed to touch the jewel, despite how pretty and shiny it was._

_"It's all right," crooned Elodie, kneeling down in front of her daughter. She held out an expectant hand: Rosalina placed the Diamond Star inside her palm. "But do you remember what we told you?"_

_"Sometimes the prettiest things are the most dangerous," murmured Rosalina, bowing her head._

_"Exactly. Now, I have a story to tell you, if you'll sit with me and listen."_

_Rosalina, apparently relieved to not be in trouble, sat with her mother in front of the fireplace, crossing her legs and fidgeting excitedly._

_Once they were more or less settled, Elodie took a deep breath and said, "You're growing quickly, my girl, which makes me think it is time to tell you why your father and I are gone for long whiles at a time. So hearken to me now, for I likely will not tell you again for many years._

_"Once upon a time, there was a man and a woman who loved each other very deeply. They were happy together; they had a daughter. Everything was right in their world, for they all had each other, and that was all they really needed._

_"But one day, the man got sick. The woman and the daughter tried everything to heal him—they asked others to help. No one wanted to, for fear of getting sick themselves. The husband, the father… he left this life. He passed away._

_"The woman, the mother—she was devastated. She began performing complicated magic in an attempt to bring him back to life. They all failed, but still she persisted, her magic growing darker and darker each day. Before too much longer, she was a woman no longer—she was a monster, for she had sold her soul to powers greater than any could understand. She no longer loved the way she once did. Even her daughter was unimportant to her now._

_"The monster grew more and more powerful… powerful enough to threaten the world. The monster's daughter, however, could not let this happen. She ran from home to tell the lord of the neighboring land of the coming danger, and he summoned his strongest and closest friends to help stop the monster from hurting anyone else._

_"The battle that was fought was fierce. More than once, the five who had gathered thought they would be bested. For the monster had tools of great power on her side: they came to be known as the Crystal Stars._

_"It was the wisest of the five who said, 'We must take the demon's tools from her if we are to have any chance at success.' And so they did. They took the seven Crystal Stars, and with their power, were able to win the battle. Not only that, but they were able to seal the monster far away underground, where it would sleep for a thousand years or more._

_"There would be no darkness in this lifetime. But still, the five friends who stood against the monster knew they had to be vigilant. They had to take the beautiful star-shaped gemstones and scatter them far across the world, so no one else would ever use them to hurt others again."_

_Elodie ceased speaking and looked into Rosalina's wide eyes. She reached out and brushed some of her daughter's golden-white hair behind her ear before finishing with, "These Crystal Stars are a good example of what you may one day find in the outside world, Rosa. They are beautiful, yes; but they are dangerous. Some things are best walked away from."_

_"But… but the heroes used them for good, too," protested the girl with a pout. "They hid the monster away…"_

_Arthur chuckled somewhat from his seat. Elodie too smiled._

_"That is true," she relented. "They were. Remember this, too, Rosalina: some things can still be used for good. It all depends on the heart of the person with you."_

_Rosalina was quiet for a while, thinking about this. She looked back at the Diamond Star that rested in her mother's hands—and then looked away._

_The only sound that could be heard was the crackling of the fire in its hearth; Arthur lunged forth to stop Tobias from crawling too close to its heat. Elodie could not help but smile as their son reached out towards it and babbled, "Pwetty fire."_

_Arthur kissed the top of Tobias's forehead before looking over towards Elodie._

_"Let's put it away now," said Arthur, gesturing to the gemstone that lay dormant in her hands. "I know we originally wanted the others to be here to see it, but… given the circumstances…"_

_Elodie smiled and nodded, knowing that it would be a weight lifted from both of their shoulders once it was done. She and Arthur rose so they might put their children to bed—Rosalina began protesting, saying that she wanted to say good-bye to the shiny star even **if** it was scary—but her parents put a quick stop to it._

_Despite her objections, Rosalina was stifling yawns all the way: by the time Elodie kissed her goodnight, the young girl was struggling to resist the lull of sleep. Tobias had already fallen asleep in Arthur's arms._

_So it was that the Lord and Lady of Petal Meadows proceeded to the innermost vaults of the palace. The had agreed on hiding it here, so they and their descendants might be able to guard over the deadly jewel and give it to a hero that would come a thousand years in the future. It was to be the only Crystal Star that would remain in direct contact with any of their children._

_Arthur placed the key into the door of the vault, and both he and Elodie stepped inside. They found themselves surrounded by ancient relics of previous Lords, as well as piles of gold that they would distribute to citizens of Petalburg each winter, to buy food and furs and seeds for the following planting. There were no windows in this room, for it was hidden on the far side of the castle, to be kept away from prying eyes—and it was immensely cold, as there was no reason to start a fire in a room that for the most part, was empty._

_In the center of the room stood a pedestal meant for the Diamond Star. Elodie looked towards it and exhaled slowly, feeling inexplicably uneasy…_

_Arthur seemed to notice her unease and reached out for her other hand. He squeezed it tightly; and together, they walked to the jewel's resting place._

_Elodie reached out to place the Diamond Star on its new home—_

_"Wait."_

_She stopped at the sound of Arthur's voice, shooting him a puzzled look._

_It may have just been her anxious mind, but Arthur's face had overtaken a thoughtful look. He stared straight ahead, a thousand leagues away, and Elodie watched him. She could almost see the thoughts he was entertaining._

_"Prepare your magic," he said softly._

_Elodie frowned and murmured, "Why?"_

_"I think there's a curse on them," whispered the man, his sky-blue eyes filled with a frightened realization. "The demon was shouting dozens of them after us as we fled the Palace of Shadow… what if they are bound to one of her minions, and the sheer surprise managed to delay or even fell the others?"_

_A lump appeared in Elodie's throat: she couldn't stand the thought that the others were dead. She'd thought it before, but she'd never truly believed it possible…_

_"We'll take it on together, then," she said: strong, resolute._

_Arthur smiled and reached out, gently taking the Diamond Star from her hands._

_"Elodie Grace Maribel Lancaster. I love you more than anything else in the world. I want you to know this. I **need** you to remember. Do you understand?"_

_She smiled, but felt her heart race._

_"Arthur Reginald," she returned evenly, "you are the love of my life. We can do this if we are together."_

_He placed a hand upon the side of her face and kissed her: a simple gesture, light and sweet… and yet, for no reason that Elodie could discern, so incredibly sad._

_" **You** can do this," he murmured, and he reached forward and placed the Diamond Star upon its pedestal._

_The moment his fingers no longer touched the gem, a swirling spiral of black magic surrounded him. Elodie screamed and lunged out for his hand—she was only able to brush his fingers and see his eyes staring resolutely into hers before he was gone._

_In Arthur's place stood a large black box._

_Elodie collapsed to her knees, grunting with frustration and desperation as she struggled to get it open._

_It stayed resolutely closed._

_"Arthur!" she shrieked, grabbing a sword from the wall and trying to insert the tip of its blade into the keyhole. She turned the weapon this way and that, doing everything she could to pick its lock—but still it wouldn't budge._

_" **Arthur!** "_

_Silence._

_For hours on end, Elodie sat in front of the black box, sobbing relentlessly as she tried to pry open its lid. And even though she hoped, she prayed, she used all the spells in her arsenal, she knew, deep in her heart, that none of it would work._

_This was the curse that claimed her friends. It wasn't they that had been cursed, but the Crystal Stars themselves—and if Elodie knew the demon, which she daresay she knew it best out of anyone in the world, there would be no reversing it._

_Elodie collapsed against the side of the box, her eyes no longer able to shed tears… yet she continued to rasp and plead with someone that was not there. She would remain there until morning, cold with the knowledge that this had been the very intention of the demon… of her **mother** …when the curse was cast._

_For it was Elodie Lancaster who was the daughter of her own story, the story that she told **her** daughter, and she knew why the demon had selected her to be spared._

_It was so she could feel her mother Lysandra Lancaster's pain when her husband had passed on—so that Elodie could finally and truly understand her mother's actions._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again everyone, I hope the time-skips aren't super confusing or anything. I just wanted to say thanks for reading this far and have a good day! :)


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